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Jesus Now: Unveiling the Present-Day Ministry of Christ
During His ministry on earth, Jesus of Nazareth spent most of His time healing the sick, casting out demons, training disciples, teaching the people, and preaching the kingdom of God. But what is Jesus Christ doing today? What is His present-day ministry?
In Jesus Now , bestselling author Frank Viola gives us the first comprehensive treatment of what Jesus has been doing since His ascension until His second coming. In an easy-to-read format, Viola explores the seven aspects of Christ's ministry today and shows how each one benefits the saved and the unsaved.
Open these pages and discover what the Lord Jesus Christ is doing now and how it will impact your life.
--
Frank Viola speaks and writes regularly about the deeper Christian life. His bestselling titles include God’s Favorite Place On Earth , A Theography (with Leonard Sweet), Jesus Manifesto (with Leonard Sweet), From Eternity to Here , and Reimagining Church . Frankviola.org is one of the top ten Christian blogs on the web.
In Jesus Now , bestselling author Frank Viola gives us the first comprehensive treatment of what Jesus has been doing since His ascension until His second coming. In an easy-to-read format, Viola explores the seven aspects of Christ's ministry today and shows how each one benefits the saved and the unsaved.
Open these pages and discover what the Lord Jesus Christ is doing now and how it will impact your life.
--
Frank Viola speaks and writes regularly about the deeper Christian life. His bestselling titles include God’s Favorite Place On Earth , A Theography (with Leonard Sweet), Jesus Manifesto (with Leonard Sweet), From Eternity to Here , and Reimagining Church . Frankviola.org is one of the top ten Christian blogs on the web.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2014
106 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
Frank Viola
65 books204 followersFrank is a bestselling author and in-demand conference speaker. You can find his books, podcasts, articles, messages, and courses at http://frankviola.org.
Viola doesn't interact on GoodReads. If you want to contact him, you can write him directly with a question or comment at frank@frankviola.com.
Viola doesn't interact on GoodReads. If you want to contact him, you can write him directly with a question or comment at frank@frankviola.com.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 5, 2014
The whole concept that Frank Viola presents in Jesus Now of Jesus’s ministry on earth NOW and not while he was on earth was fascinating to me so I dove right in! It was a really easy and quick read yet deep and thought provoking at the same time.
Viola maintains that Jesus has seven ministries today and they are not the same as his ministries during his short time on earth. I have never read or even heard of another book that explored this concept so it was really interesting to me from the get go.
There is a chapter that explores each of these seven ministries including:
Great High Priest
Chief Shepherd
Heavenly Bridegroom
Author and Finisher of Our Faith
Builder of the Ekklesia
Head of the Body
Lord of the World
Each story begins with a personal story which really connects the reader to the story. I find a lot of Christian books a bit dry because they can be so impersonal and lack that connection we need to really drink in the application. His stories are intriguing and relevant and really bring home the point he’s trying to make, even before he’s made it.
From beginning to end Jesus Now is captivating and a breath of fresh air. It’s so unique in it’s concept and so interesting in it’s execution. It’s a truly unique book on Jesus’s ministry and how it continues today through the body of Christ.
Viola maintains that Jesus has seven ministries today and they are not the same as his ministries during his short time on earth. I have never read or even heard of another book that explored this concept so it was really interesting to me from the get go.
There is a chapter that explores each of these seven ministries including:
Great High Priest
Chief Shepherd
Heavenly Bridegroom
Author and Finisher of Our Faith
Builder of the Ekklesia
Head of the Body
Lord of the World
Each story begins with a personal story which really connects the reader to the story. I find a lot of Christian books a bit dry because they can be so impersonal and lack that connection we need to really drink in the application. His stories are intriguing and relevant and really bring home the point he’s trying to make, even before he’s made it.
From beginning to end Jesus Now is captivating and a breath of fresh air. It’s so unique in it’s concept and so interesting in it’s execution. It’s a truly unique book on Jesus’s ministry and how it continues today through the body of Christ.
April 7, 2025
Innovative book. Powerful and easy to read. The concept is unique, much like Viola's other books. What the Lord has been doing since the ascension to His second coming. There are 7 themes that are all excellent.
June 18, 2014
Title: Jesus Now
Author: Frank Viola
Publisher: David C Cook
Year: 2014
Pages: 210
Other Resources:
The Deeper Journey
Love Not the World
[Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this e-book via NetGalley. It is my duty to inform you that I was provided this resource for a short period of time in exchange for my fair review of the contents. This is yet another example of the government intruding and infringing upon the rights of citizens. Nevertheless, this is my disclaimer.]
I cannot remember how I came across the name Frank Viola. It may have been when I was reading Primal Fire by Neil Cole. It may have been chance. It may have been Twitter. At this juncture, I'm not really sure that it matters all that much because I'm just about sold on his ideas. I probably need to do some more reading, but it is probably important that I started with Jesus Now. This really is an excellent book and I highly recommend that if you are a leader in the church or someone who seeks to be a catalyst for change in an otherwise boring and stagnant vacuum of faithlessness.
That sounds remarkably harsh, but I speak from experience. Since being evicted from the ranks of paid, professional clergy five years ago, I have had the opportunity to travel about to various churches from various denominational backgrounds and listen to a variety of preachers. It has been my experience that for the most part most churches in most parts of the world are utterly boring--and it is precisely for reasons that Viola expounds upon in this book: "One of the greatest concerns I have for the 'good news' today is that we often present a gospel that is more 'true' than 'useful.' This is never more true than when we're considering the subject and actor of our entire faith: Jesus Christ" (6).
Or maybe I should say it this way: churches are bored. Yet I can attribute the same reason for their boredom: there is simply not any significant emphasis on Jesus as the Resurrected Lord who is our power, as the Lord who has been given all authority in heaven and earth, as the King who has ascended to the Right Hand of God, as the Messiah who has exposed the powers of this earth through His death on the Cross. Frankly (no pun), I don't think the church is enamored with Jesus. Maybe the church doesn't really know Jesus well enough.
I like the idea behind the book: that we will see Jesus didn't just quit working because he ascended to the right hand of the Father, but he continues to work in us, through, and for us in a variety of ways and in a variety of capacities. Some of the important ways Jesus continues to work are as our Great High Priest, as the Chief Shepherd, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, Head of the Church, and Lord of the World. There are others too, but I think you get the idea of where Viola is going with this. He pays particular attention to the book of Hebrews which I appreciated immensely, but that's not all. The book is just filthy with Scripture references, quotes, and exegetical ideas from Scripture. This is for sure: there is no lack of Scripture in this book--in fact, take away the Scripture references and there's not much book left.
Theologically there are, of course, areas where the reader will find some disagreement with Viola. There were a few examples for me. For example, I am somewhat in disagreement with him concerning the idea of cessationism. Many competent theologians have concluded that some of the Spirit's gifts have, in fact, ceased to be fully present in the church--which is not to say that such gifts are not manifested ever. He writes, "There is no biblical merit for the cessationist idea" (65). I'm not so sure about this because there seems to be some indication that even for Paul such gifts were not perpetuated (i.e., leaving people sick at places, exhorting Timothy to drink some wine for his stomach ailments). That said, it's a disagreement that I'm not willing to die for. If the Spirit chooses to do what the Spirit chooses to do, then so be it. Maybe if the church stopped stumbling around in the darkness over silly arguments we would see an atmosphere where the Spirit is manifest more often. Maybe the Holy Spirit is waiting for us to finish with all our petty bickering and treating each other poorly. Or maybe the Holy Spirit simply refuses to show up in churches where the predetermined conclusion is that he is no longer working among his people. That is, maybe we prevent his appearance because of our disbelief.
There are also areas where I am complete agreement with Viola. In chapter 5 he talks about Jesus the 'builder of ekklesia.' His question early on is: "So what happens when gifted Christians are reared in a human organization built on unbiblical systems rather than in an organic expression of the body of Christ?" So what happens? Let me be honest. I am new to this whole 'organic church' movement so I remain just a tad bit skeptical when it comes to abandoning the 'old ways' of doing things. On the other hand, as someone who grew up, learned, and sought to perpetuate the 'old way' of doing things, I know how badly I was burned--strike that--how badly my faith has been wrecked by those old people doing old things the old ways. Much of the wrecking of my faith has occurred at the hands of people who simply didn't want to hear the truth about grace, Jesus, and the hard cost of following Jesus.
So I think it is true that Jesus can work through these structures and that perhaps he does; nevertheless, who is to say that the gigantic growth of a relative few churches has been the best thing for the many churches that have not experienced such growth? And who is to say that setting up the church like a multi-million dollar corporation with a CEO at the head is necessarily what Jesus had in mind? We Protestants scoff at the idea of the Papacy of the Catholic Church, but we are no better when we have one preacher set over thousands of people on several different campuses all connected via satellite and the internet. We just do it on a smaller scale than the Catholics. Viola is right: "The great need today in the body of Christ is to reinstate the headship of Christ. Tragically, all sorts of things have replaced Christ's headship. Church boards, committee meetings, church leaders, church programs, manmade rules and regulations, etc., have often supplanted the headship of Jesus Christ" (75).
As someone who has been at the mercy of these supplanters, I can only say 'amen!' and ask how many other preachers like me have suffered at the hands of these interlopers? How many of us have had our faith wrecked and turned upside down because of such ideas? I couldn't agree more that there must be something better for the church. And Viola may not come right out and say it in the book, but I have a suspicion he would agree that these things are not only killing God's prophets, apostles, and evangelists, but they are also slowly choking the church to death. When a church spends more time in committee talking about 'business' than they spend on their knees seeking the face of God there is a problem. A serious problem. "Christ alone has the right to rule his church--not any human or committee. It is His body, not ours" (76).
I could go on and on about this, but I'm writing a review of a book so I must stop. In that spirit, just a couple of final thoughts.
First, I love the few times that Viola gives us big long lists of things such as things the Holy Spirit is doing, names of the enemy, or the ways in which Jesus is exercising his authority over the church and directing the Work. I seriously believe that if the church took more time to see Jesus for who he is the church would be like Josiah whose architects found the word of God: "When the king heard the words of the book of the Law he tore his robes" (2 Kings 22:11) except that we would be tearing our robes and saying, "That is Jesus?!?!?! Woe is us!"
Second, I read the Nook version of this book (e-pub using Adobe Digital Editions) and I found the book very nicely put together (I only found one typo in the book). I always put in a plug for the Nook version of e-books since the other guys seem to get all the publicity.
I highly recommend this book. Again, it is true that not everyone is going to find agreement at all points, but that's not a bad thing. The author's enthusiasm for Jesus is what comes across in the book and is what, in my opinion, needs to come across. If you are interested in what Jesus is doing now, if you need a spark to your boring church life, or if you need your passion for Jesus reignited, this is a good place to start. And when you are finished reading it, give it to a friend or a preacher or to your entire church board. Do your best to be a catalyst to get the church's eyes turned back to Jesus.
5/5 stars
Author: Frank Viola
Publisher: David C Cook
Year: 2014
Pages: 210
Other Resources:
The Deeper Journey
Love Not the World
[Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this e-book via NetGalley. It is my duty to inform you that I was provided this resource for a short period of time in exchange for my fair review of the contents. This is yet another example of the government intruding and infringing upon the rights of citizens. Nevertheless, this is my disclaimer.]
I cannot remember how I came across the name Frank Viola. It may have been when I was reading Primal Fire by Neil Cole. It may have been chance. It may have been Twitter. At this juncture, I'm not really sure that it matters all that much because I'm just about sold on his ideas. I probably need to do some more reading, but it is probably important that I started with Jesus Now. This really is an excellent book and I highly recommend that if you are a leader in the church or someone who seeks to be a catalyst for change in an otherwise boring and stagnant vacuum of faithlessness.
That sounds remarkably harsh, but I speak from experience. Since being evicted from the ranks of paid, professional clergy five years ago, I have had the opportunity to travel about to various churches from various denominational backgrounds and listen to a variety of preachers. It has been my experience that for the most part most churches in most parts of the world are utterly boring--and it is precisely for reasons that Viola expounds upon in this book: "One of the greatest concerns I have for the 'good news' today is that we often present a gospel that is more 'true' than 'useful.' This is never more true than when we're considering the subject and actor of our entire faith: Jesus Christ" (6).
Or maybe I should say it this way: churches are bored. Yet I can attribute the same reason for their boredom: there is simply not any significant emphasis on Jesus as the Resurrected Lord who is our power, as the Lord who has been given all authority in heaven and earth, as the King who has ascended to the Right Hand of God, as the Messiah who has exposed the powers of this earth through His death on the Cross. Frankly (no pun), I don't think the church is enamored with Jesus. Maybe the church doesn't really know Jesus well enough.
I like the idea behind the book: that we will see Jesus didn't just quit working because he ascended to the right hand of the Father, but he continues to work in us, through, and for us in a variety of ways and in a variety of capacities. Some of the important ways Jesus continues to work are as our Great High Priest, as the Chief Shepherd, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, Head of the Church, and Lord of the World. There are others too, but I think you get the idea of where Viola is going with this. He pays particular attention to the book of Hebrews which I appreciated immensely, but that's not all. The book is just filthy with Scripture references, quotes, and exegetical ideas from Scripture. This is for sure: there is no lack of Scripture in this book--in fact, take away the Scripture references and there's not much book left.
Theologically there are, of course, areas where the reader will find some disagreement with Viola. There were a few examples for me. For example, I am somewhat in disagreement with him concerning the idea of cessationism. Many competent theologians have concluded that some of the Spirit's gifts have, in fact, ceased to be fully present in the church--which is not to say that such gifts are not manifested ever. He writes, "There is no biblical merit for the cessationist idea" (65). I'm not so sure about this because there seems to be some indication that even for Paul such gifts were not perpetuated (i.e., leaving people sick at places, exhorting Timothy to drink some wine for his stomach ailments). That said, it's a disagreement that I'm not willing to die for. If the Spirit chooses to do what the Spirit chooses to do, then so be it. Maybe if the church stopped stumbling around in the darkness over silly arguments we would see an atmosphere where the Spirit is manifest more often. Maybe the Holy Spirit is waiting for us to finish with all our petty bickering and treating each other poorly. Or maybe the Holy Spirit simply refuses to show up in churches where the predetermined conclusion is that he is no longer working among his people. That is, maybe we prevent his appearance because of our disbelief.
There are also areas where I am complete agreement with Viola. In chapter 5 he talks about Jesus the 'builder of ekklesia.' His question early on is: "So what happens when gifted Christians are reared in a human organization built on unbiblical systems rather than in an organic expression of the body of Christ?" So what happens? Let me be honest. I am new to this whole 'organic church' movement so I remain just a tad bit skeptical when it comes to abandoning the 'old ways' of doing things. On the other hand, as someone who grew up, learned, and sought to perpetuate the 'old way' of doing things, I know how badly I was burned--strike that--how badly my faith has been wrecked by those old people doing old things the old ways. Much of the wrecking of my faith has occurred at the hands of people who simply didn't want to hear the truth about grace, Jesus, and the hard cost of following Jesus.
So I think it is true that Jesus can work through these structures and that perhaps he does; nevertheless, who is to say that the gigantic growth of a relative few churches has been the best thing for the many churches that have not experienced such growth? And who is to say that setting up the church like a multi-million dollar corporation with a CEO at the head is necessarily what Jesus had in mind? We Protestants scoff at the idea of the Papacy of the Catholic Church, but we are no better when we have one preacher set over thousands of people on several different campuses all connected via satellite and the internet. We just do it on a smaller scale than the Catholics. Viola is right: "The great need today in the body of Christ is to reinstate the headship of Christ. Tragically, all sorts of things have replaced Christ's headship. Church boards, committee meetings, church leaders, church programs, manmade rules and regulations, etc., have often supplanted the headship of Jesus Christ" (75).
As someone who has been at the mercy of these supplanters, I can only say 'amen!' and ask how many other preachers like me have suffered at the hands of these interlopers? How many of us have had our faith wrecked and turned upside down because of such ideas? I couldn't agree more that there must be something better for the church. And Viola may not come right out and say it in the book, but I have a suspicion he would agree that these things are not only killing God's prophets, apostles, and evangelists, but they are also slowly choking the church to death. When a church spends more time in committee talking about 'business' than they spend on their knees seeking the face of God there is a problem. A serious problem. "Christ alone has the right to rule his church--not any human or committee. It is His body, not ours" (76).
I could go on and on about this, but I'm writing a review of a book so I must stop. In that spirit, just a couple of final thoughts.
First, I love the few times that Viola gives us big long lists of things such as things the Holy Spirit is doing, names of the enemy, or the ways in which Jesus is exercising his authority over the church and directing the Work. I seriously believe that if the church took more time to see Jesus for who he is the church would be like Josiah whose architects found the word of God: "When the king heard the words of the book of the Law he tore his robes" (2 Kings 22:11) except that we would be tearing our robes and saying, "That is Jesus?!?!?! Woe is us!"
Second, I read the Nook version of this book (e-pub using Adobe Digital Editions) and I found the book very nicely put together (I only found one typo in the book). I always put in a plug for the Nook version of e-books since the other guys seem to get all the publicity.
I highly recommend this book. Again, it is true that not everyone is going to find agreement at all points, but that's not a bad thing. The author's enthusiasm for Jesus is what comes across in the book and is what, in my opinion, needs to come across. If you are interested in what Jesus is doing now, if you need a spark to your boring church life, or if you need your passion for Jesus reignited, this is a good place to start. And when you are finished reading it, give it to a friend or a preacher or to your entire church board. Do your best to be a catalyst to get the church's eyes turned back to Jesus.
5/5 stars
December 19, 2025
Frank Viola’s "Jesus Now" is a refreshing and transformative exploration of Christ’s present-day ministry, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Jesus’ ongoing work in our lives. Viola masterfully unpacks the seven aspects of Christ’s current ministry, showing how Jesus actively serves as our High Priest, Shepherd, Bridegroom, and the Head of the Church, all while remaining the Author and Finisher of our faith. His accessible style and biblical insight help readers grasp how Jesus continues to heal, guide, and transform both believers and unbelievers today.
What sets "Jesus Now" apart is its ability to address complex theological questions—such as grace, legalism, and the nature of transformation—without sacrificing clarity or depth. Viola’s approach invites readers to move beyond a static view of Jesus and embrace a vibrant, living relationship with Him. This book not only informs but also inspires, encouraging Christians to center their lives and churches on the supremacy of Christ. For those longing to experience Jesus in a fresh, powerful way, Jesus Now is an uplifting and essential resource.
What sets "Jesus Now" apart is its ability to address complex theological questions—such as grace, legalism, and the nature of transformation—without sacrificing clarity or depth. Viola’s approach invites readers to move beyond a static view of Jesus and embrace a vibrant, living relationship with Him. This book not only informs but also inspires, encouraging Christians to center their lives and churches on the supremacy of Christ. For those longing to experience Jesus in a fresh, powerful way, Jesus Now is an uplifting and essential resource.
November 27, 2013
Jesus Now
Frank Viola
2014
This is a great book, a wonderful reminder for us that no matter what valley we are in the Lord is with us.
Viola reminds us that our Salvation is not earned by our works, but earned through Christ.
We are also reminded that a Christian being raised on un-biblical principles will only lead to disaster, a distorted view of what it i to be a Christian.
Though brief Jesus Now is a great book full of biblical insights and principles, a great book to study for new Christians or those looking to grow closer in Christ.
I would recommend Jesus Now to anyone searching for a book that could be used as a tool to help you grow in Christ
Frank Viola
2014
This is a great book, a wonderful reminder for us that no matter what valley we are in the Lord is with us.
Viola reminds us that our Salvation is not earned by our works, but earned through Christ.
We are also reminded that a Christian being raised on un-biblical principles will only lead to disaster, a distorted view of what it i to be a Christian.
Though brief Jesus Now is a great book full of biblical insights and principles, a great book to study for new Christians or those looking to grow closer in Christ.
I would recommend Jesus Now to anyone searching for a book that could be used as a tool to help you grow in Christ
May 21, 2021
Thought-provoking ...
... and sometimes eye-opening. I have been studying and preaching God's Word for fifty years, but always feel there is yet something I can learn and apply to my heart. In this book, Frank Viola has helped me to examine a subject I had never much thought about in any detail, though I knew all these things. The arrangement of the topics makes the subject clearer. At one point late in the book, Viola stated that Jesus did not retire when He ascended into Heaven, and He is not on vacation. To me, that makes the truths presented here sharp and clear.
... and sometimes eye-opening. I have been studying and preaching God's Word for fifty years, but always feel there is yet something I can learn and apply to my heart. In this book, Frank Viola has helped me to examine a subject I had never much thought about in any detail, though I knew all these things. The arrangement of the topics makes the subject clearer. At one point late in the book, Viola stated that Jesus did not retire when He ascended into Heaven, and He is not on vacation. To me, that makes the truths presented here sharp and clear.
October 16, 2017
Timely and informative
Very helpful. As a teacher, I have used this book in preparing lessons. I find that many Christians have a very limited understanding of the importance of the cross and shed blood.
Very helpful. As a teacher, I have used this book in preparing lessons. I find that many Christians have a very limited understanding of the importance of the cross and shed blood.
December 3, 2018
This book helped me tremendously to understand the current ministry and activities of Jesus Christ. The chapter about Jesus as our great high priest particularly stands out to me as life-changing.
May 11, 2020
Another fantastic book by Frank Viola!
May 26, 2014
Another incredible book by Viola, should be read by all Christians in my opinion.
July 4, 2022
Is Jesus Important Today?
I think this quote from Chapter 7 says it best:
"We’ve seen that the present-day ministry of Jesus Christ is multifaceted. Jesus hasn’t retired since He ascended into heaven. He’s not gone on vacation. Instead, He’s active in the world. And He’s active in our lives.
The lordship of Jesus over the entire world went into effect when God the Father raised Christ from the dead and enthroned Him in heaven. At that moment, Jesus of Nazareth became this world’s true Lord—Lord of heaven and earth, possessing all authority."
I think this quote from Chapter 7 says it best:
"We’ve seen that the present-day ministry of Jesus Christ is multifaceted. Jesus hasn’t retired since He ascended into heaven. He’s not gone on vacation. Instead, He’s active in the world. And He’s active in our lives.
The lordship of Jesus over the entire world went into effect when God the Father raised Christ from the dead and enthroned Him in heaven. At that moment, Jesus of Nazareth became this world’s true Lord—Lord of heaven and earth, possessing all authority."
June 21, 2022
This was an enjoyable read with the author outlining what Jesus is actively doing on the earth today. Really good reflections on the passion Jesus has for us and his invitation to invite us to participate with his work on the earth. I particularly enjoyed Viola’s exposition of how the church is the living embodiment of the present day ministry of Jesus.
August 5, 2017
Excellent look at what Christ is doing today
This was really good. Frank gives good insight here into who Jesus is and how he is still active today. This is worth reading.
This was really good. Frank gives good insight here into who Jesus is and how he is still active today. This is worth reading.
July 8, 2019
A marvelous book on Jesus’ ministry after His ascension, continuing through today.
December 13, 2019
Terrific read.
October 10, 2021
Seeing Jesus in a refreshing way
A refreshing new look at our amazing Savior. Peel back the layers of our amazing God incarnate. Highly recommended read.
A refreshing new look at our amazing Savior. Peel back the layers of our amazing God incarnate. Highly recommended read.
October 27, 2021
I enjoyed this book. It's concise and to the point. And, as always with Viola's works, very Christo-centric.
December 14, 2025
This is a brilliant book! It explores the present-day ministry of Jesus, an innovative idea. It does it beautifully. Encouraging and enlightening.
July 24, 2014
This is a good introduction to what Jesus is doing now. It is not a scholarly book but more of a devotional or conversational one. Seasoned Christians may find nothing new here. It is a good reminder, however, that Jesus is now doing work through the Spirit and through Christians. This would be an encouraging book for those who need reassurance that Jesus is on the throne and is active today.
See my full review at http://bit.ly/1rEilm2.
See my full review at http://bit.ly/1rEilm2.
August 25, 2015
This is a straightforward, helpful read on what Jesus is doing today and our part in it. Even though I don't agree with him on everything, I plan to buy my own copy of this book to have for reference.
Read
February 20, 2016I read this book in one reading. Really great stuff to think about as we think about what our Savior is doing for us right now.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews